Free discharge valve



Aug. 20, 1935. o. v. KRUSE FREE DISCHARGE VALVE Filed July 6, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug.20, 1935. O.V.'KRUSE "2,011,641

V FREE DISCHARGE VALVE Filed July 6, 1931 SSheets-Sheef 2 ////////////II/A llm Aug. 0, 1935. o. v. KRUSE 2,011,641

' FREE DISCHARGE VALVE Filed July 6, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 V shown herein other :r employed. r a

A freedischarg'e valve is usually employed. in

Patented Aug. 259, 1935 stares w th Pars-metrics FREE DISCHARGE VALVE V Otto V. Kruse, St. Davids, Pa, assignor, by mesne assignments, to. Baldwin-S outhwark Corporation,,a.co rporation of Delaware Application July 6,1931, Serial No. 548,929

9 Claims. (01. 299-138) This invention relates generally to valves and more particularly to an improved free discharge valve especially of the butterfly type although as typesof valves may also be dams where it is desired to discharge water from the reservoir for purposes of irrigation, or of controlling the level of the water in the reservoir, or

of dischargingwater into ariver bed downstream of the dam in order to conduct water to a point further downstream or for various otherpurposes. .Ineach case however the water discharges freely from the valve, usually into the atmosphere, and

- under its fullspouting velocity. Such conditions if" not properly controlledwill cause cavitation and corrosion of the valve and create disturbing vibrations which may result in damage to the valve and its surrounding structure with proba bility that the valve will be completely wrecked and thus cause serious injury to'person and property. V 7 w There are certain conditions in handling the vflow of water from a reservoir or pipe line where an inexpensive type of valve,-such-as butterfly valve, can be used to advantage. The usual form of valve for such purposes is a needle type, more particularly that known as the Larner-Johnson valvef The needle type valve is useful for con-' trolling the flow and for remaining stationary an indefinite period at some intermediate position of its opening stroke. The butterfly valve, for example, is not so suitable forpartly open positions but it may be satisfactorily operated either in the tight-shut position or in wide-open position. Such intermediate positions of abutterfly valve in handling Water discharging under spouting velocity are not desirable due to the tendency nating any disturbing conditions. my invention is to accomplish this by providing an improved valve construction employing the principle that the discharge jet or jets will leave oithe valve to erode and it may even vibrate for such intermediate positions.

- Even with a butterfly valve in full open'position similar destructive conditions may exist as above mentioned so'tha'tit is the purpose of my present invention to adapt these "less expensive ntypes of valvesfor free discharge operation while at'th'e same time properly controlling or elimi+ the valve structure at a definite point which is created preferably by having-the surfaces of the valve break'quicklyaway from the line of flow.

:A further object of this invention is to provide fan improved arrangement, particularly fora but- One object of terfiytype of valve, whereby there will be no tendency for the valve disc or its casing to cavitate or erode. In one aspect of the invention this is accomplished by arranging the valve disc and casing so as to provide comparatively sharp breaks on the valve surfaces in such a manner that air may flow to, or be present immediately adjacent, these surfaces either due to the inherent characteristic of the arrangement or through the provision of suitable means for conducting the flow of air to adjacent surfaces thereby preventing formation of a vac uum which is the chief cause of cavitation. In themostspecific aspect of the invention as applied toa'butterfly type of valve the valve disc and easing are provided with disc in open position, the disc being-shown in elevation;

Fig.' 3 is a modified form of valve disc and casing which'is shown in a section transverse to'the axis of the valve disc;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the valve shown in Fig. 2.;

Fig. 5 is a further modification of the casing and of a modified location of the breaking sur face on the valve disc, only half of the casing being shown;

A Fig. dis amodified form of means which may be employed with any of thebutterfiy valves for admitting air to the breaking surfaces;

Figs. '7, 8 and Bare further modifications showing my invention as applied to a gate valve;

FigsQlO and 11 are respectively a front elevation and a section of my invention applied to a sluice Fig. 12 is a section of a plug valve incorporating my invention therein, the section being taken transversely of the axis of rotation of the movable valve element.

' v F 50 In'the illustratedembodiment of the invention as shown in Fig. 1 a valve body 2 of generally circular-cross-section is provided with suitable flanges adapted for c'onnectionto a pipe line or to be suitablyimbedded if'desired in the concret e dam structure or for otherwise being supfported to the dam; This valve casing has asub- 7 f atits entrance 3 terminating in a suitable recess for receiving a seat '4 which is preferably remov- 1 able and constructed .ofv any usual material emstantially "straight cylindrical inner periphery ployed for seats ofthis naturasuch as'rubber, special metals or the like. 'Ifhe casing can oi course be made in sections toffacilitate manufacturing and if desired insteadof' providing {a re movable seat ithe casing Wall itself may' be.

used as the seat, In anycase, however, either"- 'theseat orthe casing wallgis provii ed wimp-1 sharply breaking edge 5 of .sufiicie tly ac te, angle with respect to the direction of "flow tltha fthe 'ilow. lines will sharply'fdepart *or' separate L from the valve s'eat or valve surface." the casing.

1 the; diametricall 'areasy -F g r I In'the' imprjveq r n ffi invention it positivellllinsure.v and compela. separ'gyibn e in a acu m; a itaq tg re poi f roun i h Certain generalc are in dotted'linesat [3.

In I the ordinary type oflibut te disc is; iusually; symmetrical and} purposely de' signed with the, object in views-goffhaving "the water follow and adhere to the graduallyvcurved. surfaces of thevalve disc; thereby attempting; to

attain smooth flow linesIOVr-cthe' entire valve.

surface. However, in actualirpracticeiand; es

pecially with freedischarge yalves it is impossible [to obtain ei'low 'linesfwhic'lr smoothly, follow the entire'surfac'e of thevalvadiscl lIheresultl isithat the water departs .frointhe valve surface 7 in such'a manner that'a vacuum is formed which;

55" in thecourse of timelcauses cavit ation or erosion" the xvialveisdils s v e ese theFfiow ,from: th ead inf such. a nia n nas to the-'valve; are provided preferably by (offsetting. the downstream fa'ceslj 4 on eachside of the valve; di th Ofiset being ma e by? he vision of acuteshoulderspreferably at rightanaf gleslto, the 'discfsurface. v 'Ifhe shoulder may of course assume: any 7 suitable: verticaloutline i but specific form of the inventioneas; shoW n-"mizFlig; I; the valve seat'itself isarranged to present this sharply breaking surface by materiallyofisetting wn port on; 6 or ,the yalvez sina P abl h i-v l ezc s n ds O fsetbs an a ly V I adja nt th se t. 5 n ad al y V fla es ou i wardly soas toprovideian ample annularspace; l-..t1. ro e w h air a -5' asi y v"f w-1 5 0 l h p reak ed e 5: ther b i-b ak e. or; If "d i fu er pe in .1". sh rt a b ro:

i j t er n m 1i e u1a r pas1ed. mj ireh e; e a v ep r i the valve surface and air is permitted to enter.

Such adownstream position is shown in Fig. 5 atllfi. This figure also'shows the breaking shou1-' der as being inclin'edinstead of at right angles to .the surface, it being understood however that the degree of inclination isgldeterminedin accordance with the necessity for causing the water to break: sharply away from the surface. If desired in the Fig. 5 modification the shoulder fl'fi" instead of,' -being along a straight line such .asfl55shown2in Fig. 2 it maybe along an arcuate disc*pivot -shafts 9.and"! 1, thereby insuring that the, waterlwilrbe separated across the entire diline ,whose'ends terminate} adjacent the valve ameter of'the valve although under certain coni ditionslthe shoulden I6 mightbe along afstrai'ght line, thereby'permitting asmall portion of the valvefdiameter not who provided with a breaksurface; However the unprovided su-r face would be relatively smallin comparison to the provided portion; and accordingly would prevent cavita tion oyerramaterialportion of-the valve; 1

In any of the formszof the butterfly valves in,

;wide open positionfit is seen that theflow therethrough will -be divided,- as 'shown inthe shaded areas A'in Fig. 4, into two lens -shaped jets having approximately a circular form on;

the outside conforming tothe breaking'edges or surfaces 5; and .approximately a straight flat sure-- face on thefinside "conforming to edges I 5. =Air flows in between the; jets as through the pas- I ages .1 anaports 8: and thenc'e to' the brealging V s urf-acestfIta is; thus seenthat there: i a free *access;of air to all-sides oithe discharging jets I of waterand to thebreaking surfaces, and hence;

there. is notendency for the dischargingjets g to 1 form a vacuum on any' surface of the' valve structure. 7 U I }.In the modification shown in Fig.v 3 the upstream" or inlet side'oi the valve casing is preferably; gradually tapered has atlee while the discharge "sideqhasf a, substantially. straight cylin I drical inner wall terminating in a sharp edge 20.

which perfiorms-the function-10f the breaking edge.

The valye disc maybe oflthe'types shown and described in connection with-Fig; 1 'wherein Y breaking; surfaces areprovided on'each side or the valve or it may have a; straight side as indicated atHZ I thereby automaticallyterminating ina sharp" downstream;-breaking edge 22, this. edge of course being semi-circularflasl it defines the"; downstream portion of the. valve periphery. Iihe upstream peripheral edgev of this side of thevalve -may be slightly rounded to permit 5 smooth flow lineslas the water; enters the, valvestructure The other side of the valve, however may'bebulged outwardly. so as to-g'ive suf- I 7 I M M ficient strength/tothe;valveinwhich'case it is reduce to a minimum thedestr uctive' conditions? vvhi'ch lcause cavitation. Breaking; edges i, I 5: on

preferable to provide-a break n fedge 23 similar to the forms described in connection with'Fig. l.

jas; shown-with itsaFig; 3' casing Airirom the outside i of; the valve: will; fiow to the breaking surface- 23; or; the; corresponding. surface 15;. if

w fused, bypassingbetweenthetwo separatedjets A,

V'Where. the, flat surface 2! ,is employed it: may

be flat ovenits entire surface or if desired-Qt V may-be veryslightly bulged near i-tscentral-poz-j; .tionihut' notto; suchan extent as to prevent full uriet e n Qfh hrea gna d e 22,,

"clamped ina peripheral recess in the valve disc although any other usual type of sealing device maybe employed on the disc periphery. I

1 The modification illustrated in Fig. 6 is adapted ,to be applied to any of the forms shown due to the provision of means for directing air to the breaking surfaces as through a passage or passages 28 in'the valve disc shaft. This passage or passages may have outlets 29' disposed at various points of the breaking surface and valve surface, thereby insuring extending through the surface of the shoulder which forms the breaking edge. pleme'ntal passages such as 30 may be provided If desired supto admit air over the various portions of the nation of cavitation.

"In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3

. wherein the valve is provided with a fiat sur 1 g The modificationof FigsJlO and 11 shows my face, it is seen that the valve may be turned to a partgate position thereby insuring theflow to break sharply away from the edge 22, it being I; assumed that the valve is moved in a clockwise direction. With the other- Constructions, part gate operation might cause an irregular breaking away from the upstream shoulder and thus possibly cause cavitation if the valve is operated in part gate position for an extended period of time. I J A I'n: the modifications shown in. Fig. the valve casing is abruptly offset at 30 adjacent the valve seat. If desired, of course, the annular portion 31' maybe eliminated although this would permit the valve disc'to project outwardly from the 'valve casing and be wholly unprotected. J

invention as applied to a sluice gate wherein the gate 50 is suitably guided in usual channel or angle irons imbedded in concrete; The lower 'edge of the movable gate element is sharply tapered in either direction ina manner similar torthat shown with the gate valves of Figs-T I able end flanges, a flow passage therethrough and a transverse bore 4| of either conical, straight, cylindrical or spherical form in which a similarly shaped valve element 42 is rotatably disposed and provided with a transverse opening 43 which when in full open position will have its sides substantially fiush with the sides of the inlet 44. The discharge side 45 of the valve is provided with sharply breaking surfaces 46 which extend axially of the rotatable. valve element 42 and provide an ofiset in the discharge side of the valve of sumcient lateral extent and abruptness so that the water in issuing from the passage 43 will sharply depart from the guiding surfaces in the form of a free jet.

This free jet is rendered fully possible by admission of air through the passage 41 which is formed between the walls of the discharge side 45 and the jetwhich is generally indicated at 48. The supply of air may if desired be supplemented by a series of ports 49. It will of course be understood that the sharply breaking surfaces maximum elimi- 46 extend across the top and bottom of the valve as well as axially thereof thereby insuring a sharply breaking edge around the entire orifice formed preferably in the valve body as shown although the body could be cut back immediately adjacentthe edges" of opening 43 on its downstream side to permit the downstream edges of the rotatable element to serve as the breaking edge when the valve is in full open position. The rotatable valve element is of course suitably journalled in the valve body and as is usual in this general type of valve the rotatable element may be axially removed through the top ofthe valve casing which has a cover through which the valve operating stem extends.

' Figs. 7-9 illustrate the invention as applied to a gatevalve 5| having a valve element 52 adapted to be moved by suitable actuating means, herein a'handwheel and threaded valve stem. The valve element is guided and seated-in grooves 53 transversely of the valve passage so as to variably control flow therethrough. To insure desirable free discharge functioning of the valve the movable element has an inclined lower end terminating in a sharp edge 54 while the valve body has a'sharp inwardly extending lip 55 disposed entirely around the'iriner'surface of the valve passage so that for either part gate or full open position the jet will discharge freely of the valve. While the valve passage is shown as circular in cross-section and.

the lower edge of the valve element is similarly shaped, it will of course be understood that any other suitable or desirable shape may be employed.

Also, as shownin Fig. 9, the breaking edges 54 and 55' may be disposed on the upstream side of the valve. It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in construction and arrangement of parts and the principles of my invention may be applied to various other types of valves without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

- I claim: 1.--The combination in a free discharge valve mechanismcomprising, a valve body provided with a discharge passage, a valve element movable to control flow of fluid through said passage, means whereby flow through said discharge passage breaks sharply from said valve element along a line contact which extends substantially entirely across the surface of said valve element in a direction transverse of the flow, and means whereby flow through said discharge passage breaks sharply from the walls thereof along a line contact which extends substantially entirely around the inner surface of said passage.

2.- The combination in a free discharge valve mechanism comprising, a valve body provide-d with a discharge passage, a valve element movable to control flow of fluid through saidpassage, means whereby when the valve is in wide open position the flow through said discharge passage breaks sharply from said valve element along a line contact which extends substantially entirely across the surface of said valve element in a direction transverse of the flow, and means whereby flow through said discharge passage breaks sharply from the walls thereof along a line contact which exmnds substantially entirely 

